New and pregnant - need some major advice

[Hopehealthy]

Hello everyone. I have been told this is a wonderful site and I am happy to join you! Here is my background:

I am 5 months pregnant and was on strict induction prior to conceiving. I lost 60 pounds on induction and had to stop when I found out (end of July) and have been eating freely since.

I was 248 when I found out I was 4 weeks pregnant. I went down to 240 due to being sick one week. Once I started having an appetitie again I gained that back and I am now 252. All in all, I have gained 4 pounds since I was 4 weeks. However, my Dr. sees it though I gained 12 because they are counting the 8 pounds I lost during week 5. naturally my first visit was at week 5 so I weighed in at 240.

I am so discouraged by this. I hear horror stories of babies with problems (macrosomia - too large) and mothers with preeclampsia or gestational diabetes that are my weight and more. I asked my OB to refer me to a dietician but unless I HAVE one of those issues my insurance doesn't cover. I am in tears over this - i don;t want to get either of those issues and I know a proper diet can help prohibit. I want a healthy baby and I don't know what to do. Is there anyone out there with experience of controlled carbs while pregnant? I never even made it up any rungs to even know how to do maintenance.

[liv]

So is your doctor concerned or are you reading too much silly stuff on the internet?
It is natural to put on weight in pregnancy and it is time to think about nutrition and health and not the number on the scale.
I have not done Atkins pregnant but I was pretty good when I was pregnant - eating whole foods and avoiding a lot of chemical crap that neither baby nor mother needs. So look at the book and think about eating from all nine rungs - avoiding sugars - concentrating on whole foods and you will be fine.
And congratulations. You have started a wonderful journey there.

[atkinsgal08]

>>ad to stop when I found out (end of July) and have been eating freely since.>>

While you shouldn't be doing a weight loss phase of Atkins, you could be doing maintenance.

You don't want to be in ketosis while pregnant nor breast-feeding, so if you keep your net carbs above 50, you should be fine.

[chinadoll]

J is right. Maintenance is fine and a carb level of between 50 and 100 should be fine for you as long as those carbs are coming from fresh veggies, low sugar fruits, and whole grains. I mean that is about as healthy as you can get. Continue to eat for hunger's sake not appetite's sake and you should be fine. There would be more to worry about if your didn't gain some weight. Just don't use the pregnancy to eat whatever you want. That is where most folks get into trouble and if you are eating wisely on Atkins maintenance levels the diabetes will probably not factor in.

[barrnone]

Just say away from junk - give you and your baby good healthy whole foods and you and baby will be fine. Relax and enjoy this time of your life, pregnancy is such a gift.

[Hopehealthy]

Thanks. I eat whole grains and have been doing what I can with veggies and fruit. I think the 2 glasses of Milk per day is what is putting the weight on; it's just opposite of how I have been eating for a few years and I need to adjust.

[atkinsgal08]

>>doing what I can with veggies and fruit.>>

You should focus on these ... let the whole grains be "after".

>>I think the 2 glasses of Milk per day>>

Why not have other calcium rich foods?

You can check out a list here:

Nutrient Data Products and Services

[Hopehealthy]

Just as an update I found the Brewer's diet online and started rading it through this weekend. I don't know if I can eat this much food, but I like how it focuses on protein. I plan to do my best anf follow this (until I am full) and habve no junk food in the house at all except whole grain crakers. Thanks again. Any suggestion where I can post since the pregnancy forum is so slow? Can I most on Main Atkins although I am not doing Atkins due to pregnancy?

[atkinsgal08]

>> am not doing Atkins due to pregnancy?>>

You CAN do Atkins ... just not the weight loss phases.

There's more to Atkins than weight loss.